The rear impact guard of a trailer, semi-trailer, tank trailer, and/or flatbed trailer is generally provided to help prevent other vehicles in a rear-impact collision with such a trailer from traveling beyond the rear extremity of the trailer and into an area beneath a floor assembly of the trailer. Rear impact guards may also operate to absorb the energy of a rear impact from another vehicle. Rear impact guards typically include a horizontal member suspended from two struts coupled to a bottom side of the trailer.
The present disclosure may comprise one or more of the features recited in the attached claims, and/or one or more of the following features and combinations thereof.
According to some aspects of the invention, a rear impact guard is configured to be coupled to a rear end of a vehicle. The rear impact guard includes first and second bumper support members configured to be coupled to first and second base rails of the vehicle. The first and second bumper support members are spaced from one another along a width of the vehicle. A horizontal bumper is mounted to lower ends of the first and second bumper support members. First and second angled support members are coupled at first ends to the first and second bumper support members, and coupled at second ends to the first and second base rails forwardly of the first and second bumper support members and forming a substantially hollow triangular member. First and second braces are positioned within the first and second base rails and coupled thereto. At least a portion of each of the first and second braces is located above the second ends of the first and second angled supports.
According to another illustrative aspect, a kit for retrofitting a vehicle is provided. The kit includes various components of a rear impact guard configured to be coupled to frame adjacent a rear end of a vehicle and includes first and second bumper support members designed to be coupled to first and second base rails of the vehicle. A horizontal bumper is optionally included and is designed to be mounted to lower ends of the first and second bumper support members. At least two angled support members are designed to be coupled at first ends to each of the first and second bumper support members, respectively. The at least two angled support members are designed to be coupled at second ends to each of the first and second base rails, respectively. The first and second bumper support members and the at least two angled support members define a substantially triangular body with an opening therein. The kit further includes a plurality of braces designed to be positioned within the first and second base rails and coupled thereto. At least a portion of the plurality of braces is located above the second ends of the two angled support members.
In another illustrative aspect, a method of retrofitting a rear impact guard coupled to a rear end of a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes first and second bumper support members configured to be coupled to first and second base rails of the vehicle and a horizontal bumper mounted to lower ends of the first and second bumper support members. The method includes the steps of coupling first ends of first and second angled support members to the first and second bumper support members, respectively, and coupling second ends of first and second angled support members to the first and second base rails of the vehicle to form a triangular support having an opening therein, and coupling first and second braces to the first and second base rails, wherein at least a portion of each of the first and second braces is located above the second ends of respective angled supports.